Only a late stroke of luck spared dismal Man United defeat at struggling Fulham, but it’s Sir Jim Ratcliffe – not Michael Carrick – who must take the blame for his club’s worsening crisis, writes OLIVER HOLT

There is a pub on Fulham High Street called The Eight Bells. 

Paper signs on the windows say that it is reserved for away fans only and on Sunday afternoon, the strains of Manchester United supporters singing in support of their team drifted into the afternoon sunshine before the game.

It is reputed to be Fulham’s oldest pub. In fact, there are unsubstantiated claims it is even older than United’s back-four. It might have been more appropriate if it was called The Seven Bells, because that is what United got knocked out of them for much of their clash with Alvaro Arbeloa’s side at Craven Cottage.

They were outplayed for long periods of the match but escaped with a 1-1 draw after a stroke of luck in the dying minutes brought them a last-gasp equaliser. 

They salvaged a little pride but not much. They have five points from their opening five games against Hull City, Ipswich Town, Everton, Manchester City and Fulham.

A season that began with some hopes of them challenging for the title has collapsed into a situation where they are 10 points behind Manchester City before we have even entered the last week of September. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, their minority owner, is an expert on once great things now ‘on the slide’. He has added United to his portfolio.

Michael Carrick watched on in dismay as his side looked second best away against Fulham

‘It is quite difficult to see how we arrest it,’ Sir Jim said of the UK’s travails. That sounds like a dispiritingly familiar refrain to United fans. 

It is 13 years since they last won the Premier League title and it will be 14 in May. They are too far behind City and Arsenal already to have any chance of ending their drought.

They had some momentum coming into this campaign. Now they have none. 

Manager Michael Carrick will get some of the blame for that but this is not his fault. The horror show that is unfolding now is the fault of Sir Jim and his band of hapless executives who masterminded a dreadful summer transfer window that has left United hopelessly adrift of their rivals.

Knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Brighton last week, spurned by the greatest of their young talents, JJ Gabriel, and at war with their own supporters, United had chances and hit the woodwork twice but they looked more predictable and more weary than Fulham.

This was a Fulham, by the way, that were bottom of the table at the start of play but looked more imaginative, more optimistic, more youthful and more coherent than their opponents. 

Fulham’s point took them above Tottenham Hotspur, who will spend the three weeks of the international break rooted to the foot of the division.

United had spent the first few minutes of the game chasing lengthening shadows. Fulham played the ball about confidently and patiently. They evaded United’s half-hearted attempts to press them until a ball was fizzed in to Gonzalo Garcia on the edge of the United box. Garcia snatched at his shot and dragged it wide but it was a chastening start for the visitors.

Lisandro Martinez deflected the ball past a helpless Senne Lammens in the Man United goal

Calvin Bassey wheeled away in celebration after his initial strike eventually led to the first goal

It was a tough watch for Manchester United’s travelling fans, who saw a side devoid of energy

When United finally established a foothold in the game, they nearly took the lead. Lisandro Martinez ran on to a loose ball and hit a dipping swerving shot from 25 yards that was destined for the top corner until Bernd Leno launched himself through the air and tipped it wide.

United came close again midway through the half. Matheus Cunha stole the ball away from a Fulham defender as he tried to shepherd it out of play and pulled the ball back for Bruno Fernandes. 

Fernandes clipped it towards goal but the ball rolled against the foot of Leno’s right-hand post and dribbled away to safety.

United had made the best chances but Fulham had been the better team. 

That dynamic shifted after half an hour when Garcia had a golden chance to put Fulham ahead but miskicked in front of goal as he tried to convert Alex Iwobi’s cross. Lammens saved well when Sander Berge tried to convert the loose ball.

Then it was the turn of Josh King to go close. King should have been included in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad after an outstanding start to this season but was overlooked. Everything about his play in this match showed why he should have been picked. 

Fifteen minutes before half-time, he jinked past Luke Shaw with ease and rifled in a shot that Lammens kept out with his right boot.

In the midst of Fulham’s missed chances, United hit the woodwork again. Cunha’s shot from the edge of the area deflected off a defender and spun up into the air. It was looping over Leno until the goalkeeper got a hand to it and touched it on to the post. United were being outplayed but they were always in the game.

A minute before the break, Marcus Rashford volleyed over from ten yards out. At the other end, King went past Maguire and fell to the ground as Maguire’s arm brushed him on his way through. 

It was not a foul but nor was it the yellow card that referee Peter Bankes brandished at King.

Matheus Cunha’s late deflected strike ensured Manchester United left with something

The second half started slowly but exploded into life just after the hour. Calvin Bassey wrestled the ball away from Cunha on the edge of the United box and unleashed a fierce left-foot drive. Lammens blocked it with his left leg but the ball rebounded to Martinez.

The Argentina defender could not react quickly enough to control it and it bounced off him and back towards goal. Lammens tried to clear it but got his feet in a tangle and deflected it into his own net. Martinez turned away in dismay.

United thought they had equalised minutes later. Bryan Mbeumo curled a shot goalwards and began to wheel away to celebrate before Leno pulled off a magnificent, flying one-handed save that preserved Fulham’s lead.

United dominated possession after that but showed little in the way of cutting edge. It took a slice of fortune to drag them level. Fulham held on until two minutes from the end but then Cunha cut in from the left and fired in a shot. Leno had it covered but it deflected off David Affengruber’s outstretched foot and bobbled apologetically over the line.